Saturday 25th May 2024 - The FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
Manchester City 1 Manchester United 2
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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag told BBC One: "All compliments to the team. We played very good to our identity. Very strong. You have seen how we can play when we have the players on board. Some were not even match fit but the performance was very good.
"I tell you [media] this all year - when the players are fit we can play good football. A very good performance against the best team in the world.
"With a local rivalry it’s there and it’s much more important when you play a team from your own city. But for us it wasn’t about this, it was to prove a point after so many setbacks. The team showed so much resilience and I’m proud of them."
On if criticism of his team has been unfair: "I think so. The team. Me as well. It was not right.
"But we didn’t have the players. We have seen the same things, not always good football - definitely not - but we had to make compromises all the fime and then you can’t play the football you want to play.
"I had maybe three or four times in two years we had the full squad available. Even today we were missing massive players like Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Casemiro."
More from Erik ten Hag, about if he thinks his future is at Manchester United: "I don’t know. The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team, developing my team. This is a project for me. When I came in I can say it was a mess. Now we are better. We are not where we want to be.
"Football is about winning trophies. I want to play the best football, dynamic, attacking football but in the end you have to win games and trophies. That’s the menaltaty we brought in. This was our one opportunity and we did it. I‘m very proud of the players and staff."
On Kobbie Mainoo: "He was really so enjoyable to watch. At his age. He’s an example. We wanted him to come in and he got a bad injury in pre-season."
On how far Mainoo can go: "I think we have to keep it calm. Here in England you’re very good to push players too high and then you hammer them with one or two bad performances."
Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho told BBC One: "Incredible. Nobody believed in us. But we’re a team, all together. We fought, the game of our lives.
"Incredible [fans]. The fans are always there when we win, or lose, home or away."
On Kobbie Mainoo: "Incredible. The best player in the squad and he’s the youngest. We’re also good friends. I'm so happy for him."
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo told BBC One: "[It means] absolutely everything. It's been a tough season with ups and downs. This is the only thing we’ve had to look forward to. Last year I was in the stands.
"We knew we had to come together. The preparation for this game has been amazing. We’ve shown we can compete and win games."
On the Euro 2024 squad: "I just want to focus on this, I can't look too far ahead."
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, speaking to BBC TV: "It was the last chance to get something positive from the season. We were here last season and we weren't good enough and we had to see them go up and get the trophy.
"They have great quality, great players, a great manager. We had to sacrifice and suffer but we did great things. I try my best to help the team.
"Kobbie Mainoo is really good, such a quality player and you can see the composure he had with the finish. He came through the Academy and once more on the biggest stage in the world he showed it again. Congratulations to everyone, the staff, the players and all the fans, they have given us a big push - finally we have something to celebrate.
"It is crucial for everyone. We know the manager is under so much scrutiny, he deserves this, also everyone in the backroom staff and the players, we all deserve this."
Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot, speaking to BBC TV: "It was the best way to approach the game, the hard work, the resilience and it was our best game of the season in terms of being a team.
"You could feel in the dressing room before the game we really wanted to win this game. This is the standard of this club and it has to be every game and it feels good to end the season with a trophy.
"We could've done more things better all season but it feels good for us and the especially the fans, they have been amazing all year and more than anyone they deserve this.
"We knew if we closed the middle and allowed them to play from the outside it could get easier for us and knew the spaces were in behind them."
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking in the post-match news conference: "Congratulations to Manchester United for winning the FA Cup. I think my game plan was not good.
"The second half was much, much better. We were more intense, in part because we were 2-0 down and had nothing to lose. It was a tight game. We gave away the first goal, they made a good transition for the second so credit to United for the second goal. We tried. We had clear chances in the second half which wasn't easy because they had man marking and defended the pockets but we had the chances and unfortunately we scored a goal a little bit late. Maybe it could have been different but the team was there like all the time when we lose.
"Disappointed today, it's normal teams can lose finals but this season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies in a good way. We will rest and come back next season."
On Erik ten Hag: "They have to take a decision. He's a lovely person and an extraordinary manager. Winning the FA Cup is important for them like last season it was for us."
ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/35e3/live/d4deb110-1827-11ef-80aa-699d54c46324.jpgManchester United and beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag defied the odds and their critics to pull off a stunning FA Cup final victory over hot favourites Manchester City at Wembley.
Ten Hag went into this Manchester derby final with the growing expectation that he will be sacked by United’s new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, irrespective of the outcome.
If Ten Hag is to be dismissed, he will be going out on the back of the finest day of his two-year reign and United’s finest moment for years following a performance that was virtually unrecognisable from the dismal fare they have served up this season.
United’s triumph, which denied Premier League champions City a second successive domestic double, was built on an outstanding first-half display that brought goals from Alejadro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Garnacho was the beneficiary of a mix-up between City keeper Stefan Ortega and Josko Gvardiol as he was left with an open goal on the half-hour while Mainoo crowned a sweeping move with a calm finish from Bruno Fernandes’ delicate touch nine minutes later.
City inevitably applied pressure in the second half, Erling Haaland hitting the frame of the goal, United keeper Andre Onana saving superbly from Kyle Walker and Julian Alvarez missing a great chance.
City substitute Jeremy Doku pulled one back with four minutes left but Ten Hag's side held firm to record a famous victory and win a 13th FA Cup, their first since 2016.
